Sharon Zientara's Blog

New Year's Resolutions: Crochet Style

Sharon Zientara — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 17:38:00 GMT

Cheers to the New Year!

I crossed the finish line for this year's handmade holidays, albeit huffing and puffing (I found myself packing my suitcase with as-yet damp shawls tucked between old pillowcases, and feverishly stitching the last rounds of a hat on the flight). Much as I lamented the endeavor, the feeling of giving each person something in which I stitched my thoughts and my love for them was unparalleled. And doing so made it all the more satisfying to then turn to my stash, and dive headlong into exploring stitching for stitching's sake again. That being said, I leave you with a brief drill-down of my crochet New Year's resolutions, and humbly invite you to join me on these adventures. I'd love to hear what you all have come up with to keep those hooks going all year long. Let's make 2012 a year filled with joyous crocheting.

1. Try something new.
New techniques, new fibers...anything outside your comfort zone. Never tried thread before? Pick up a ball and try your hand at a few simple motifs. When you're finished, you'll have a handful of coasters and a new skill under your belt. How about Tunisian? A six inch by six inch swatch can make a great potholder. How about exploring the possibilities of silk? Treat yourself to some luxury with a single skein and fall in love with a special scarf or shawl to give or to keep. Endeavor to challenge yourself with something you've never done. You can jump over to our technique videos and get some inspiration.

2. Design.
Have your ever changed the length or width of a pattern to better suit your tastes, or changed the neckline of a garment to a personal preference? Then you're already a designer! Start with something small, like a hat or a special accessory. Maybe there's a certain stitch pattern that inspires our creativity. Perhaps a new baby could use a cute amigurumi, or a friend needs a huggable blanket. Dare to design! Oh, did I mention we LOVE new designers? Visit our submissions page, and share your creations with us.

3. Start and finish something BIG.
Do you stick to one-skein projects or accessories? Try your hand at a garment. Start with something simple, with minimal shaping in a color or a fiber that really rocks your socks off. Make it special. How about an heirloom? To me, there is something so extraordinary about a project that may take a year or two to complete, but it lives with you and becomes a part of your identity. And when completed it can be cherished, and passed down. Try an afghan or a tablecloth; something that can be loved and enjoyed. How about downloading the free Chain Reaction Afghan Project Patterns?

What other daring chances have you decided to try your hands and hooks at this year? Let's share and challenge ourselves together. And Happy New Year all. May you find your hooks constantly occupied, and your yarn baskets running over.

Trying New Techniques: Diving into Foundation Crochet Stitches

Sharon Zientara — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 20:36:00 GMT

In general, I tend to be someone who grudgingly accepts change, in life as well as crafting. It's sort of like trying a new food for the first time. I may be unsure, but when I try it and like it I always think "Why haven't I tried this sooner? This is downright amazing!"

Well, it was much the same way the first time I tried foundation single crochet, or "fsc" if you're already down with the lingo. I was unsure of whether the wrangling of doing something new was worth it, and all I really wanted to do was just cheat it and do my fallback regular, plain vanilla chain. Once I got past the initial awkward nature of doing something my fingers weren't used to and into the swing of it, I found myself in true love.

If you're still wary, here's my debate-club argument for digging into foundation stitches and not turning back...

*Note: I refer to fsc, but there are foundation double and treble stitches, too!

1. Foundation stitches save time. Who WOULDN'T want to combine two rows into one for their ENTIRE crocheting life for a few moments of finagling a new technique? And foundation stitches can be used any time a pattern begins with a chain and a row of single crochet (or double, or treble!), which is the vast majority of patterns out there. Think of all that extra crochet time you'd buy yourself!

2. Foundation stitches are easier to wrangle than chaining. I can't tell you how much frustration I've had from fiddling with the first row of a pattern, all because of those pesky chains. I'm willing to bet you have, too.

3. Have you ever miscounted the number of chains to start a project and then run out at the end and had to decide whether to rip back or clumsily work an extra stitch or two into that last chain? With foundation stitches, if you miscount, it's no big deal! You can just add on more foundation stitches at the end.

4. Foundation stitches leave a tighter, cleaner look to an edge. Since you are essentially working a chain and a first row, the tension will be far similar to your pattern gauge than a plain old chain stitch edge and therefore, make all your edges prettier to look at, easier to pick up stitches from, and vastly quicker to seam up, if necessary.

Okay, are you won over yet? Let's get started!

First, you start with your same ol' basic slip knot. Chain 2.

Next, insert your hook under the top loop and bottom ridge loop of the second chain from the hook. Yarn over, and pull up a loop. Now you've got two loops on your hook.

Yarn over, and draw through one loop on your hook. This is the "chain" part of the foundation stitch. If it helps, hold that chain stitch between your thumb and forefinger with the hand that tensions your yarn, so you can easily find it, cause you're gonna work back into it in a couple steps.

Yarn over, and draw through both loops on the hook. This is the "single crochet" part of the foundation stitch. Essentially, you just stacked a single crochet on top of a chain stitch.

Ready to work into that chain stitch? Okay, insert your hook under the top loop and bottom ridge loop of the chain stitch. Be careful to really get your hook under just those two loops. I find it helps to loosen up my tension when I make the "chain" part of the foundation stitch so it's a little looser, and easier to work into. Yarn over, and pull up a loop, making another "chain". Yarn over, and draw through two loops, making that next "single crochet".

Continue that last step for as many foundation stitches as your pattern calls for, and voila! Now you have a nice, neat foundation row to work off of. Viva la foundation stitches! And for more on foundation stitches, be sure to check out Toni's blog on them, too.

A Handmade Holidays: Diving into Interweave Crochet Accessories 2011

Sharon Zientara — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 17:55:00 GMT

Greetings All!

As I head into Thanksgiving and the holidays, thoughts about gift-giving go into overdrive. This year I FINALLY started making gifts early enough to have something handmade for everyone on my list. Most of the credit goes to Accessories 2011, and the fact that those projects started arriving in the office some time around the middle of June. By the time the issue came out, I already had completed one of the addictive and quick to crochet Seafoam Shawls that Marcy told you about earlier this week, and I started a second one with a yarn that I picked up just because it was the favorite color for one of the folks on my list. I have a nephew who is Dino-crazy, so the T-Rex Hat and Mitts are half-way complete.

The adorable and quick to make T-Rex Hat and Mitts

I have the Fancywork Cloche Crochet-Along going on right now, which you still have time to jump in on and have ready just in time for the gift-giving season. And there are various other bits and bobs that I have pulled from old issues to hook up in between.

I do think this is going to be my one and only entirely handmade holidays. The planning stages start so early and the stress level to complete everything on time is so high! But it is satisfying. For me, there's nothing like giving someone I love a truly personal gift; something that with every stitch I made, I thought of them and their excitement when they opened it. And it's never too late to whip up a quick little something. A lot of the projects in the issue can be worked up in an evening. You still have plenty of time to hook some for the folks on your own lists. Seafoam Shawl, anyone?

What about all of you? What gifts have you whipped up this year, and which ones are you working on now? I'd love to see what you all have come up with for your loved ones.

Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

Seafoam Shawl by Kimberly K. McAlindin

The First Official Interweave Crochet Accessories 2011 CAL!

Sharon Zientara — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 17:41:00 GMT

Welcome to the first official Interweave Crochet Accessories 2011 CAL! For the kick-off of what's sure to be many CAL's from this amazing issue I'm inviting you all to join me in making...drum roll please...the Fancywork Cloche by Simona Merchant-Dest.

In the spirit of the season, I really wanted to do a quick, gift-able item (although I promise not to tell if you decide you simply must keep it for yourself). Hats are a great item to give as presents and this pattern is cozy enough to ward off the winter chills but elegant enough to put on just because you want a special accessory to complete an outfit.

It's one skein, which gives a perfect reason to go stash-diving, but it won't bust your budget if you've gotta have the smoosh-able Alpaca With a Twist used in the issue; I know I do! And if you have never attempted post stitches before, this is a great way to dive into them. There's already a great video on Crochet Me to give you some guidance. So, pick up your hooks and yarn, and let's whip up this beautiful cloche! Join me in the Forums, where you'll find a time line, along with some encouragement and (gentle) prodding, and post your WIPs in our Gallery.

Best wishes!

-Sharon

Happy I Love Yarn Day!

Sharon Zientara — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 16:07:00 GMT

Happy I Love Yarn Day everyone!

In honor of this very special day, I wanted to share a bit about my love affair with yarn and some of the fruits of my recent yarn pilgrimage, er...vacation, in the UK.

Like many of you, I grew up exclusively using acrylic, 100% man-made fibers. I never even knew such things as yarn shops existed. However, once I smooshed 100% merino and caressed pure silk there were fireworks; big, sparkly, yarn fireworks. And then, when I actually crocheted with it and saw how the stitches defined like magic and the drape of a garment flowed like soft butter I became hooked for life. And while these days, economy requires that we all pick and choose which projects can afford to be made and at what cost, I treat myself to these yarn indulgences whenever possible. I liken it to a budget conscious foodie needing a little crème brulee every once in a while.

Recently, I found myself on holiday visiting family in the UK. Detours for yarn were frequent. I got to stop by a shop I have been drooling over for years, the world famous Loop in Islington. Here, I not only acquired some great finds for myself, but also snagged a hard-to-find skein of Wollmeise for my partner in all things yarn-y, Sarah Read. At the free-spirited I Knit London I picked up the most sumptuous 100 % silk laceweight, dyed by the owners themselves.

In teal, some lovely laceweight in a delicate baby alpaca/silk/cashmere from Etsy seller JunoFiberArts, an equally delightful naturally-dyed lavender cashmere/angora/lambswool blend from Skye Shilasdair , and the 100% Silk Laceweight from I Knit London.

The trip culminated (yarn-wise, at least) in a tour of Norton Priory in Runcorn, Cheshire, and its gardens, where we unexpectedly came across the most fantastic yarn bomb. A local group was commissioned to pepper the grounds with yarn; a fantastic addition if I do say so myself. All in all one of the best yarn experiences of my life to date.

Norton Priory & Gardens in Runcorn, Cheshire

Goose Bomb in Norton Priory & Gardens in Runcorn, Cheshire

You don't have to go across the world, though, to join me in celebrating I Love Yarn Day. Just dive into your stash, stop by your LYS, crochet in public; anything yarn-related will do! Viva la I Love Yarn Day!!!

To help you all celebrate yarn day, we here at Crochet Me are giving away a skein of Spud & Chloe Sweater to one lucky reader. Just go to the Crochet Me page on Facebook and let us know what you would make with this special yarn by commenting below where this story appears in the news feed. That's it! We'll randomly draw a winner next Friday. Good luck, and take a look at this smooshy goodness!

Crochet Fall Fashion Inspiration

Sharon Zientara — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 15:49:00 GMT

I confess to being a bit of a fashionista. I've always had my eye on runway shows and glossy magazines. However, I also strongly believe that fashion should be wearable and affordable. It's a very small part of the population that can rock some of the crazy things that designers come up with, let alone afford them. And why do models always look so angry? If I had on a couture gown, I'd be ALL smiles. But I digress...That's why one of my favorite parts of this job is scouring current fashion trends and plucking out the ones that will be most translatable to real life, and to crochet. Every woman deserves clothes that are cut beautifully and that show off her best assets, and everyone should know the glory that is cashmere and silk and merino, and on and on and on! When you know how to crochet, you can choose a gorgeous yarn for a fraction of the cost of one of those runway garments, in the color that will look best on you, to fit your own measurements, and make a one of a kind piece. I like to think of my crochet projects as my own personal couture garments. Lately, the runways have given crocheters a lot of inspiration to go on. I thought I would showcase a bit of current crochet runway fashion, alongside what we at Interweave Crochet have given you to keep your hooks busy this Fall. I hope this inspires you to find your inner fashionista, and translate something lovely into your own couture crochet creation. Happy crocheting,
		Crochet at the Michael Kors Spring 2012 Show

Sitka Semsch Fall 2011		Interweave Crochet Fall 2011 Lace Canopy Cardi Wrap by Simona Merchant-Dest


Interweave Crochet Fall 2011 Birch Bark Scarf by Yumiko Alexander	Line Knitwear Fall 2011

Owlivia & Little Livvie: Show & Tell Your FO's!

Sharon Zientara — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 18:25:00 GMT

Well, the month of July was filled with projects. I designed and stitched a (top secret) piece for our forthcoming Accessories issue, made a shawl for my bff's birthday, and finished a set of coasters for my house. I learned how to do double-ended tunisian in the round, thanks to Toni's video tutorial. Not to mention, the Fall issue of Interweave Crochet is on its way to press (!) and I've already queued everything it contains. You won't believe some of the amazing garments we have in store for you. More to come on that in the following weeks. On top of all that, I managed to complete my very first amigurumi and thread projects, Little Livvie, and even whipped up her mama, Owlivia. Admittedly, those two cuties were a joy to sneak into my stitching time.

As I (as well as most of the country) have been perfecting the art of staying cool while sitting in temperatures at or above 100 degrees (think lots of iced coffees and cold sandwiches for dinner) the thought of having a pile of wool sitting on my lap is less than appealing.

I found this project to be an ideal way to keep crocheting all summer long. After all, its my main source of organizing my thoughts and calming my brain in the middle of a hectic day. Crocheting a great big owl foot with giant bobbled toes is one of the most pleasurable ways I know in which to do that! So much so, that I still have one additional Owlivia and Little Livvie in the works waiting for me when I go home today.

So head on over to the crochet-along forum and show off your little owl friends, too. I'd love to see what you all came up with.

Happy Stitching!

Giving Crocheted Gifts: Be A Fiber Ambassador!

Sharon Zientara — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 12:44:00 GMT

If you’re anything like me (and I suspect you are) most of the projects you make are gifts. Crafty people have a generosity of spirit that’s second to none. I think it’s why a lot of us pick up our hooks in the first place; I know it’s one of the reasons why I love working at Interweave. Choosing the perfect item, finding the recipients favorite color, and giving someone a little piece of us is one of the most satisfying feelings that we know. The gifts we make, as well as the sentiment behind them, are worth preserving. As such, I’m posting a little tidbit around ensuring that the thought that goes into making the gift continues with the giving of it, too.

Most folks outside of our yarn-y world don’t really know how to care for fine fibers. I feel that it is our job to be Fiber Ambassadors! When we give a crocheted gift, our Ambassador-ship requires that we instruct the recipient how to properly care for the item so that it can be worn again and again, while maintaining the fabulous condition in which it was given. There are all sorts of ways to give care instructions to a recipient of a crocheted gift. Here’s a round-up of some of my favs.

Keep it simple. You can include the ball band for the fiber that was used in your package. It already contains the care instructions for that particular yarn. It’s not the showiest of ways to convey this information, but it works.

Make your own care tag. Having the information available on the yarn ball already means you have the ready-made instructions. There are any number of ways to personalize a little label and hand-write a message with instructions to the recipient. To the left is one that I really enjoy.

Buy a store-bought tag. There are a bazillion and one adorable tags available for purchase. Some crafty-specific ones I happen to love are these Knitterella Gift Tags. They come with the care instructions on the back, and you can just circle the ones that apply to your gift!

Include some wool wash! Not a lot of folks besides us stitch-ers will have this handy, and these washes really go a long way to preserving the color and quality of fibers. It’s a thoughtful way to avoid the recipient from having to search out some for themselves, or make a trip to the dry-cleaners. Keeping the little sample sizes handy and adding them to your gift is simple and thoughtful.

Crochet For Your Home

Sharon Zientara — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 11:56:00 GMT

Well, the dust has finally settled at Casa de Kitties and Yarn (aka my new house). Now that the boxes are all unpacked, I can go about the business of getting those finishing touches in place; the things that make a house a home. One such thing became painfully obvious as I sat down for my morning coffee and had nowhere to put my drink. I have no coasters!

After about a week of grabbing the closest available magazine or book, I decided to grab my hook and get stitching. I took out my Harmony Guide: Crochet Stitch Motifs and started thumbing through. After all, this was a perfect opportunity to learn some new stitches, and I absolutely love stitch diagrams. I actually prefer them to written patterns. They make everything make sense for me. Also, this is a great stash-buster.

I found some spare bits of cotton in my two favorite colors, red and white. I chose a puff stitch, something I have wanted to try for a long time. In just a few minutes, I was ready to no longer defile my magazine collection! What about all of you? What do you make for your homes?

Happy Stitching,

Owlivia & Little Livvie Crochet-Along of Cuteness!

Sharon Zientara — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 15:14:00 GMT

Okay folks, are you ready for the cutest crochet-along EVER?!?

Join me in stitching the first official Crochet Me amigurumi CAL, Owlivia and Little Livvie from our latest issue, Interweave Crochet Summer 2011. This is a great beginner crochet project. If you’re a veteran or new to thread work, you can challenge yourself with Little Livvie. If you have been knee-deep in garment projects like I have been these last few months these amigurumi are a perfect break; a way to give you a sense of accomplishment, with a side of cuteness! It’s also the perfect portable summer project, easily thrown in a tote bag and taken poolside or to a café table somewhere while you enjoy the sunshine.

The timeline is almost a month long, which should give us plenty of time to pick this project up and put it back down (after all, those WIP’s aren’t going to crochet themselves ). Or if we’re really ambitious we can work ahead and make a whole flock of owls! Here’s a rundown:

Schedule:

6/24-6/30 Get pattern, yarn, and notions.
7/1-7/7 Work body.
7/8-7/14 Shape back and tail, make face.
7/15-7/21 Make beak, wings and feet. Finish!

And the specifics:

Owlivia & Little Livvie

Designer: Brenda K. B. Anderson
Finished Size: Little Livvie stands 2" tall. Owlivia stands 4½" tall.
Yarn: For Little Livvie: Aunt Lydia’s Classic Crochet Thread size 10 (100% mercerized cotton; 350 yd [320 m]/3 oz [85 g]): #0131 fudge brown (MC); #0431 pumpkin (CC1); #0420 cream (CC2); 1 ball each.
For Owlivia: Red Heart Soft Yarn (100% acrylic; 256 yd [234 m]/5 oz [140 g]): #9344 chocolate (MC); #4422 tangerine (CC1); #9114 honey (CC2); 1 ball each. Yarns distributed by Coats & Clark.
Hook: For Little Livvie: size 9 (1.4 mm) steel hook; for Owlivia: size G/6 (4 mm) standard hook. Adjust hook size if necessary to obtain correct gauge.
Notions: For Little Livvie: Polyester fiberfill; embroidery needle; size 8 mm slit pupil safety eyes, sew-on style. Note: The washers on most safety eyes are too big to fit behind Little Livvie’s face. The stem of the eye has a hole in it for sewing; stitch marker (m; optional).
For Owlivia: Polyester fiberfill; yarn needle; size 15 mm slit pupil safety eyes; stitch marker (m; optional).
Gauge: For Little Livvie: Rnds 1–6 of body = 1¼" diameter. For Owlivia: Rnds 1–6 of body = 2½" diameter.

If you need a copy of the pattern, you can pick up a copy of the magazine here. Join the discussion in the forums for tips and tricks, or just to talk about how adorable your owls are becoming. I’m only just finished with the body of my first Little Livvie, and all of us can’t help but go “Squee!’’ with delight at how cute it is!

Crochet For Your Pet Friends

Sharon Zientara — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 17:47:00 GMT

I recently moved house, and as many of you cat owners know, they do not take very kindly to change. In past relocations, one of my cats (Mrs. Robinson) has found such good hiding spots that it’s usually a good week before she allows herself to be detected. My other cat (Squid) responds by talking. A lot. So much so that I’m pretty sure he’s convinced himself that I am perfectly capable of understanding his secret language and that if he chats with me enough he can stop me from holding back this knowledge and I will start mew-mew-mewing in fluent kitty cat responses. This is not so.

I felt really badly about uprooting them and Squid’s 2 a.m. bedside chats were not going to work for me either. I needed to come up with an appropriate enticement for each of them. One thing that has always been successful in the past is catnip. Some cats could care less, but to mine it is like dying and going to kitty heaven. As a result, I came up with this quick stash-busting kitty toy slash catnip delivery method for their enjoyment.

For this project, I used:

Size G/6 (4mm) hook
Stitch marker
Any old DK weight scrap yarn I had lying around in various colors
Practice plastic golf balls, with holes in them
Catnip

First, I inserted my hook into one of the golf balls holes and out through another.

I pulled up a loop to the inside of the golf ball, and reached my hook in to the hole adjacent the one in which I pulled up the loop. Voila! The start of a chain.

The pattern I worked is as follows:

Rnd 1: Ch 7, sl st through 1^st ch to form a ring. Sc 12 into the ring. Place marker for the beginning of the round.
Rnd 2: Sc in each sc around.
Rnd 3: 2 Sc in each sc around—24 sts.
Rnds 4-5: Sc in each sc around.
Rnd 6: Dc in each sc around.

This is where I worked in the end of my yarn at the beginning of the work (so as to not leave a hole for things to fall out) and sprinkled the catnip in the holes of the golf ball. You could really do this at any point.

Rnds 7-8: Sc in each sc around.
Rnd 9: Sc2tog around—12 sts.
Rnd 10: Sc in each sc around.
Rnd 11: Sc2tog around—6 sts. Fasten off.

In the striped version, I simply switched colors on Rnd 6, and back to the main color on Rnd 7. I also held both colors together and made a chain. You could make this crazy long for extra fun if you wanted.
I hope your feline friends enjoy these treats as much as mine.

Mrs. Robinson and Squid enjoying their treats...

Happy crocheting to you and your kittens,

-Sharon

My New Friend, The Chain Stitch

Sharon Zientara — Fri, 27 May 2011 15:33:00 GMT

As I continue to try and challenge my crochet skills, one designer I find myself turning to for innovative technique and construction is Knitting Daily’s own crochet expert, Kristin Omdahl. I’ve said before that I need small projects that will help teach me the lessons I need and work up quickly so that I can move on to the next.

To that end, Crochet So Fine has recently become my companion. This book contains quite a few patterns where you chain, and chain, and I mean CHAIN… Never has the value of making beautiful, even chains become clearer to me than while making the Chains Bucket Hat (at left).

My first go involved chains that were mutated, distinctly un-chain like messes. Some inappropriate language was bandied about. But I learned from it, and began anew with a different hook and a healthy respect for the skills required. So I wanted to share with you what I learned to do and not do during this process. A chain is usually the first thing you learn to crochet, and it is a skill you’ll implement in almost every project that you make. When you can master the trick of making even chains everything seems to click. Here are a few things to keep in mind.

*Keep the thumb and forefinger holding the work close to the hook

*Push the new chain to the center of the shaft of the hook to maintain consistent size in the chains.

* *Don’t accept a pattern exactly as written. Change your hook size! Using a hook one size larger than the size you intend to use for the project can loosen up a taut foundation chain.

* * Consider the type of hook you use. Making even chains can be exceptionally difficult when the material the hook is made of doesn’t jive with the yarn. Some yarns lend themselves well to bamboo hooks, and some are happier with an aluminum one. Let the two play together, and if they feel like they’re fighting then it’s time for them to separate.

* * Relax and breathe. The wonder of crochet is how easy it is to rip out. No stitch you have made cannot be reworked with a new understanding of what the pattern which you are working requires. And remember, the miracle that is blocking can cure a lot of ills.

Best of luck and keep me updated in all your future chaining endeavors.

Crochet Wedding Gifts

Sharon Zientara — Fri, 13 May 2011 11:00:00 GMT

Well, we’re knee deep into Spring here in Colorado. Most of my heavy wools have been stowed away in favor of linens and cottons. Rich fall colors have been traded in for more honeyed tones. But my favorite color for Spring and Summer over any other though, is white. Mostly, I think it's because I'm a little OCD and the blank slate and cleanliness just makes my heart sing but I have other reasons, too. I love the crispness and purity of white garments. I love the feeling of renewal and openness that white gives. Which fits in nicely with my topic for this week: My fav color, crochet, and weddings are a match made in heaven. The romance of lace, the feminine fripperies like the garter and veil all beg to be crocheted. Even entire wedding dresses of crochet have been strutting down the runways lately (see below). You don't have to go that extreme to sneak some of your favorite needlecraft into a wedding, though. Just a touch of crocheted loveliness can give a memorable and exquisite finish to a bride's outfit.

As I’ve mentioned, my brother gets married in a couple of weeks. I grew up with boys, and am so excited to be gaining another sister. I want to get them a nice store bought gift because I know that all couples need stuff to start their lives together but I feel like being the big sister means I should do something a little above and beyond for her that day and I wanted her to have something special. Going through the archives of our issues I was able to find the ideal little crocheted purse to make for her. It’s the perfect size to toss in some little necessities for the ceremony; say, a lipstick and some tissues. Also, it’s something that she probably wouldn’t already have picked out, like a garter or a veil. And it’s also something that she can keep and use again. Perfection! I spent a lot of time mulling over what to make for her, so for fun-sies I’ll leave you with some of my favorite tidbits of wedding crochet that I found on my search. I hope it inspires you all to make the ladies in your life something special to take on their walk down the aisle this season.

If the bride is really brave, she can go all out and walk down the aisle in a crocheted confection.

Sweet Wedding Notions from Interweave Crochet Fall 2009

Crocheted Wedding Cake!

P.S. A big welcome to my new nephew, Oskar who arrived in the wee hours of the morning this Wednesday. I can't wait to meet you!

Getting Creative with Crochet Baby Gifts

Sharon Zientara — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 21:58:00 GMT

This blog is a bit of a plea for help. As I have previously mentioned, I am doing a lot of crocheting right now. In addition to being surrounded by oodles of great patterns here at Interweave, recently family circumstances have serendipitously given me even more reasons to keep my hooks at warp speed.

My brother is getting married, and so I have started a keepsake bag for my future sister-in-law to use for her odds and ends during the wedding ceremony, and I have a new nephew on the way in the next few weeks. For this gift, I’d usually just whip up some cute booties and be done with it. I’m at that age where there are new babies from friends and siblings constantly, and so I have plenty of go-to cute and quick patterns. However, when the bundle of joy is within my own family, having my mother and grandmother churning out blankets, hats, and booties at the speed of light has caused me to have to get creative with what I will make for the new wee one.
In fact it was just yesterday morning that I sent my mom the Eight Free Hat Patterns e-Book, and by this morning, she had emailed me a picture of three hats she had already finished! What’s a girl to do?

My Mom's Hats

That’s where you all come in. Now, admittedly, I’ve got a bit of a competitive streak. As such, I’ve decided that I’m gonna get crafty with this business and design something myself. What would you want to get as a new mama? As a new mom, what did you get that you never had enough of? Some bibs, perhaps? Maybe a stuffed animal? This is my call for help! And once my project is chosen and complete, I promise a pattern and copious pictures of both the crochet and the adorable baby, Oscar. Until then, have a happy crochet-filled weekend!

Lessons in Crochet

Sharon Zientara — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 15:12:00 GMT

Confession: I am in a state of yarn lunacy. I was crazy for yarn even before I started working at Interweave, but now that I’m constantly surrounded by all these amazing designs and fibers I’ve got the fever! As a result, many little crochet projects are in their formative stages. There’s the perfect little baby hat for my new nephew, the sweet little floral bag I’m making up as a wedding gift for my future sister-in-law, and my very first crocheted sweater. Then, Toni asked what I was going to write about for my next blog post. The bag and hat are just in the swatch stage, and the crocheted sweater, while providing many valuable lessons, is far too embarrassing to show to the public. Quite honestly, it will probably end up in the frog pile. But then what to show to all of you? Enter the crochet granny square free eBook, which prodded me to pick up the very doable project that I had set aside in the aforementioned lunacy, the Willow Hat built off of squares. It was so much easier to do thanks to said embarrassing sweater, and I was reminded of how I have always learned more from my stitching failures, both on this sweater and other projects, than from the successes.

Among these lessons are:

1. Substitute yarn thoughtfully: What kind of fiber did the designer use and what are its properties? Does the yarn you’re looking to use behave the same way? For this hat, I substituted a DK weight yarn while the pattern calls for a fingering weight superwash merino. However, a smaller hook size and the soft pima cotton in the yarn lent themselves very well to the structure of this hat.

2. Read patterns all the way through before you begin: Fully understanding how each row builds on the last really helps to not only speed the project along, but it also serves to make the project look better in the end. Are you going to have to squeeze in ten double crochets in a tiny little five-stitch chain in the row below? Well, maybe you just chain a little looser and leave yourself some extra wiggle room!

3. ALWAYS swatch thoroughly: Sorry folks, but it’s true. Making too small of a swatch won’t give you the true nature and size of the stitches, plain and simple. Spending hours of valuable crafty time working up a garment only for it to end up gargantuan or sized for a midget is not worth it! The best part about this project is that once you get your proper gauge, the swatch becomes part of the hat. How fortuitous!

With all that considered, it took me about an hour to whip out a couple more granny squares for the hat band. And now that I’ve got my crochet confidence on, I have vowed to keep working this WIP until it is d-o-n-e.

What about you? As you learn to crochet, what lessons are you collecting?

Cheers!

-Sharon

My Granny Square Motifs